10 Fun Facts about Macaws

You will get the details about the colorful New World parrot with long tails on Fun Facts about Macaws. Actually, there are various genera of true parrots or Psittacidae. However, only six of them are considered macaws. They are Diopsittaca, Orthopsittaca, Primolius, Cyanopsitta, Ara and Anodorhynchus. The parrots are endemic to South America, Mexico, and Central America.

Fun Facts about Macaws 1: habitats

Most macaws like to live on the savannah, woodlands, rainforest and forests.

Fun Facts about Macaws 2: the unique features

The unique features of macaws from other parrots can be seen on the long tails and larger beaks. The facial patch of macaws has the light color. The body part of macaws, which serves as their fingerprint, is the facial feather pattern. It is unique.

Facts about Macaws

Fun Facts about Macaws 3: the largest macaws

The green winged macaws, great green or Buffon’s and hyacinth are considered as the largest macaws.

Fun Facts about Macaws 4: the smaller macaws

The macaws from Ara and Anodorhynchus are larger compared to Primolius, Orthopsittaca and Cyanopsitta.

Fun Facts about Macaws 5: zygodactyl

Zygodactyl is characterized by having the toes pointing backward. Macaws also have this characteristic.

Macaws Pictures

Fun Facts about Macaws 6: the status

The endangered status is applied on the macaws, which live in the wild. The species of macaws believed to be extinct in the wild are the Spix’s macaw and glaucous macaw. The main reasons of extinction are related to bird trade, illegal trapping and deforestation. CITES which stands for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna regulate the international trade of all macaws. Ara macao or scarlet macaw is placed at Appendix I of CITES. It means that this species should not be traded commercially. The Appendix II contains Diopsittaca nobilis or red-shouldered macaw, which can be traded commercially.